Annealing-box.



A. n. HUGHES.

ANNEALING BOX.

(Application med my 12, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Patentad Feb. 6. |900.

2 Sheets-Sheet L Patented Fen. s, moo.

lNo. 643,060.

A. n'. HUGHES.

ANNEALING BOX.

[Application led May 12, 1899.)

2 sneetsfsneet l2.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES ATENT Finca.

ALFRED R. HUGHES, OF VARREN, OHIO.

ANN'EALINe-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,060, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filed May 12, 1899. Serial No. 716.549. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED R. HUGHES, of Warren,in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Annealing-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention contemplates, certain new and useful improvements in annealing-boxes. As is well known in the art,annealingboxes are in practice Asubjected to vextraordinarily high degrees of temperature. In consequence such boxes soon become warped and before the material of which they are composed is worn out they have t0 be discarded and new boxes substituted. It has been sought to increase the strength of the boxes by bracing them in various ways, the braces being on the outside or exterior of the boxes. All these attempts, however, to increase the stabilityand durability of annealing-boxes have proved of but little value, since the exterior bracing is very soon rendered inadequate and is damaged by reasonof the intensity of the heat to which the boxes are subjected.

The object of my invention is to brace and strengthen the box throughout its entire structure and at the same time protect all the seams or joints, so that they cannot be burned off or weakened by the intense heat. This I accomplish by making the boxes of channelbars, the flanges of which are riveted together. Over the seams, between the several bars of which the boxis constituted,are placed butt-plates, which are well riveted to the box on both sides of each seam, making all of the latter air-tight. The channel-bars may be differently used-that is, the sides and top may' be composed of bars arranged transversely of the length of the box, or the top alone may be so formed, while the sides may have the channel-bars extending longitudinally, or the bars composing both the top and sides may be extended longitudinally. Strengtheningbars may be secured between the riveted flanges. A compartment on the top of the box to hold sand may be obtained by securing a bar or bars along the sides and ends of the box. These bars are composed of wrought metal.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a vertical longitudinal sectional view of an annealingbox constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 shows a slightly-different form of construction with parts broken away, and'Fig. 4 is a similar view of a third form ofconstruction. Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional details, the latter being a slightly-modified form. Figs. 7 and 8 show-the use of strengthL ening-bars.

4In carrying out my invention I construct the box A of a series of channel-bars d. The

Aadjacent Iianges a of theseveral bars are rigidly secured together by rivets d2. The strengthrof the box is enhanced by placing liat bars CL3 between the flanges, such bars being held by the rivets a2. p

B designates a series of butt-plates which are located over the seams between the flanges 0f eacl1.pair of channel-bars. These plates B are rigidly secu red to the boXA by two rows of rivets b, passedthro'ugh the adjacent channel-bars. Preferably the flanges d arel all turned inward, thus requiring the butt-plates to be on the exterior. In this Way all of the bracing parts of the box are located on the interior and are protected at their seams by means o'fthe exteriorv butt-plates. If, however, the flanges be turned outward, the butt- 'plates are placed on the interior ofthe box over the several seams. Y

The preferred form of construction of box A is to have the several channel-bars extended transversely ofthe box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; but these channel-bars may be differently arranged, if so desired. In Fig. 3 I have shown the cl1annel-barsC composing the sides of the box extended longitudinally of the latter, while the bars forming the top d are arranged transversely. In Fig. 4 Ihave indicated all of the channel-bars composing the sides d and top d2 as running longitudinally of the box. the flanges of the several channel-bars are shown as being turned inward, as previously described, and the seams between such flanges are exteriorly covered by the butt-plates B.

To further add to the strength of the box, I

In all of these various forms IOQ secure along the lower horizontal edges of the sides angle-irons D, the vertical flanges of which are on the exterior of the box. To the under sides of these angle-irons I secure bars E, which latter, like the angle-irons, are held by rivets. The addition of these strengthening parts, the angle-irons, and the bars secured thereto doesnot interfere with the bracing-anges of the channel-bars.

The end sections F of the annealing-box may be of plate metal, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; but I have shown them in Figs. l and 2 as being -composed of channel-bars having inwardly-extended flanges, the seams of which are covered by exteriorly arranged butt-plates. These end sections are secured to the sides and top of the box by end iianges e, which are welded and riveted to the top and sides. The fianges may extend over the exterior surface of the box at its ends, as shown in Fig. 5, or they may be secured on the inner sides of the latter, as shown in Fig. 6. The angle-irons and strengthening-bars before described arealso provided for the end sections, so as to give to the latter the same strength and rigidity as is possessed by the sides of the box. In Fig. 2 I have shown a sand-compartment e on the top of the box, the same being formed by plates e2, attached to the sides and ends and projecting upward a suflicient distance.

In practice the material to be annealed, such as sheet-iron and sheet-steel, is placed on a suitable Wrought-iron or cast-iron stand and then inclosed by the box. An air-tight seal is then secured at the bottom edges of the box by means of sand placed around such edges at the sides and ends. The whole is then placed in the annealing-furnace, and.after the latter is closed heat is admitted to effect the annealing process.

The advantages of my invention are apparent to those skilled in the art. It will be observed that I have produced a perfectly rigid annealing-box which will retain its original shape, even as against the most intense heat, and can be constantly employedL until the material of which it is composed becomes too thin for further use. The box is composed throughout of wrought-iron, which is of decided advantage over cast-iron, the properties of the former lallowing of expansion and contraction without cracking or injuring the box. Boxes composed in whole or in part of cast-iron are liable to be injured by jarring or in striking the floor. The channel-bars,

'being of wrought-steel, will not break nor be impaired by contraction and expansion,which will be uniform in all parts of the box.

I claim as my invention-- l. An annealing-box having an open bottom and parallel sides and ends and a top connecting said sides and ends, said sides, top and ends being composed of channe1-bars, the parallel flanges of which are turned inward and rigidly secured together, and butt-plates on the exterior of the box secured thereto adjacent to the seams between the flanges, substantially as set forth.

2. An annealing-box having an open bottom and parallel sides and ends and a top connecting said sides and ends, said sides, ends, and top bei-ng composed of channel-bars arranged transversely of the box, the parallel flanges of the several bars being turned inward and rigidly secured together, and buttplates on the exterior of the box located over the seams between such ianges, riveted to the adjacent channel-bars, substantially as set forth.

3. An annealing-box having its sides and top composed of channel-bars, the parallel flanges of which are turned inward, flat bars located between such ilanges, said flat bars and flanges being rigidly secured together, and butt-plates on the exterior of the box extending over the edges of the dat bars and riveted to the adj acentchannel-bars, substantially as set forth. l

In testimony whereof I have signed this specilication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED R. HUGHES.

Witnesses:

T. H. GILLMER, RICHARD GIBSON. 

